Levi scofield



M(No Model.). n

`L. SGOFIELD.

DRILL ATTACHMENT FOR PLANTERS- No. 383,994. Patented'June 5, 1888.

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NTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE..

LEVI SCOEIELD, OF GRAND HAVEN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHAL- LENGECORN PLANTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

v DRILL ATTACHMENT FOR PLANTERS.

SPECIPICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 383,994, dated June 5,1888.

Application tiled March 5, 1888.

To all whom, t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, LEVI SconrELn, of Grand Haven, in the county ofOttawa and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and use.-

ful Improvements in Drill Attachments for Planters; and I do herebydeclare the following to bc a full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart ofthis speci- Io cation, and to the figures and letters of referi encemarked thereon.

This invention relates to an improved drill attachment designed moreespecially for use upon corn-planters as a substitute for and in- [5terchangeable with the eheck-rower attachments; and it consists in thenovel and improved construction, combination, and ar rangement of theseveral co-operating elements, as hereinafter described and claimed..

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of aplanter with the improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a bottom planview of my improved attachment. Fig. 3 is a top plan view oftheactuating-lever- Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the actuatinglever anddriving-link separated.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The letter A designates the main frame, B

5o the runnerframe, and C the seed-hoppers.

The runner-frame is hinged or flexibly attached to the main frame,andthe latter is supported upon wheels D, while the seeding dcvices orfeeding mechanisms, of which two are shown, are attached together andoperated in unison by a connecting-bar, E. This connecting-bar isfurnished with two adj ustable shoulders or abutments, e, between whichaportion ofthe reciprocating driving mechanism works 4o to operate theseeding devices.

Upon the main frame A, and preferably to one of the side bars a,thereof, is secured a bracket, 1, carrying the pin or stud 2, upon`which is hung a lever, 3, provided at one end with a taper or wedge, 4,and at the other with a notched segment, 5. Upon the stud 2 is alsomounted a link or arm, 6, to the outer or rear portion of which areattached two studs or rollers, 7, embracing the edge 5o of a cam-wheel,8. Said link 6 also carries or Serial No. 266,1;79. (No model.)

is provided with inwardly-projccting iiauges 9, forming guides for thesegmental end of the lever 3 to work in, and between these flanges, orat any other convenient point, is mounted a pivoted dog, 10, adapted toenter the notch or otherwise engage the segment to lock the lever 3 andlink 6 together.

Instead ofpivoting both the lever 3 and link 6 directly upon the stud orpin 2, I prcfer to pivot the one-say the link-directly upon the stud,and provide it with a nut or collar, 11, to receive the other member, asin this way a larger and more secure bearing is formed and the two partsare brought nearer together.

The pivoted dog 10, which constitutes a detachablc'connection or lock,'is provided with a thumb-piece, l2, and the material of which it iscomposed is so disposed relatively to the pivotal point of attachmentthat the dog is held in engagement with the segment on lever 3 bygravity, and when disconnected, as when the dog is thrown back, thepreponderance of weight is shifted in rear of the pivot and the dog issupported by lugs or shoulders 13, engaging supports or shoulders 14 onthe link.

The main purpose and function of the segmental form given to the rearend of the lever '3 are to guide and retain the lever in operationrelative to the link while the dog is disengaged, and to furnish asupport upon which the dog rests when thrown down until its engagingportion arrives opposite the notch in the lever 3.

As is obvious, any suitable actuating devices may be employed forreciprocating the link,

as the latter constitutes the member throughA which the power devicesare immediately connected to the lever and through the latter-to theseedslide; but I prefer, for various reasons,

to employ a disk cam, 8, secured to a shaft,- 16, mounted in a bearing,17, adjustably secured to the bar a, and upon the opposite end of saidshaft is mounted a sprocket-wheel, 18,

receiving motion from a drivechain, 19. This chain'passes around thedriving-gear 20, over IOO and improved construction, adapted for appli-Acation to the hub of the supporting-wheel D, its attachments beingself-centering, so that it cannot only be readily applied and removed,but also quickly adjusted and adapted without special skill to differentwheels. To this end the toothed rim or annulus 25 is attached by arms 26to a'plate, 2.7, having a large central opening and an, annular grooveor recess adapted to receive and tit upon a corresponding projection orbearing, 28, formed on the inner end of the hub.

A plate or annulus, 30, with large central opening andannnlar groove orrecess similar to that in plate 27, is adapted to fit the outer end ofthe hub, so that when the two plates 27 and 30 are placed upon theopposite ends of the hub and drawn or clamped thereon by bolts 31,passing between the spokes of the Wheel, the driving-gear will be heldcentrally of the hub and tirmly secured thereto.

The projection 2S, referred to, being formed upon the hub of the wheel,is the bead usually formed at or near the spokesockets of metallic hubs,and, as the latter are manufactured of standard size and dimensions, thedrivinggear can readily be secured centrally of said hubs, and bysecuring' the gear portion or annulus to the hub attachment by arms thesaid gear or driving` portion is removed from the wheel and brought morenearly in line with the sprocket-wheel 1S.

From the description and illustration furnished it is apparent that toremove or apply the drill attachment but three sets of bolts orequivalent clamping devices have te be manipulated-t'. e., those forclamping the driving-gear upon the hub of the wheel, those for fasteningthe bearing of the shaft 16 to its supporting-bar, and those forsecuring thcbracket carrying the pivot of lever 3 and the bearing of thetightening-wheel to the support, and when it is desired to arrest thefeed or start the latter while the machine is in motion it is onlynecessary to operate the detent or dog so that it shall engage or beheld removed from the notch in thel lever.

When, as in the illustration given, the lever 3 is supported upon themain ,frame and the seeding devices upon a frame pivotally connectedthereto, the raising and lowering of the connection to elevate ordepress the runners shifts the point of contact between thestops andlever longitudinally of the latter, thereby increasing or diminishingthe effective length of the lever, and thus varying the throw of theseed-bar. 'Io overcome or avoid this defective action, which wouldnecessarily occur were a straight-sided lever employed for engaging thestops on the feed-bar, I form the latter tapering, the side facesconverging toward the end of the bar, so that when the feed-bar isbrought nearer to or carried away from the pivot of the lever, as whenthe runner-frame is elevated or depressed, the difference in the lengthof the arc traversed by the lever at the point of contact with the stopswill be compensated forby the increase or diminution in thickness; or,in other words, as the lateral movement of the lever diminishes thepoint of contact is advanced in the direction ofthelateral movement, sothat the extreme limits of movement will remain the same whether theleverage be increased or diminished. It is of the utmost importance thatthis uniformity in the movement of the feed-bar should be preserved inorder that the feeding devices may operate at the end of eachrcciproeation and at predetermined intervals. v

The sprocket-wheel 18, through which niotion is communicatedV to thecam, is detachably secured to its shaft 16, so that wheels of differentdiameters or sizes may be applied to vary the speed of the feedingdevices proportionally to the progressive movement of the machine, andthereby adjust or regulate the distance apart at which the seed isdropped. To accommodate such adjustment without at the same timerendering necessary the shortening or lengtheping of the chain, asheretofore, I mount the pulley 21 upon a bolt or axis,40, and connectthe latter to its bearing or bracket 22 in a manner to permit ofadjustment in a direction toward and from the sprocket-wheel 18, as bysecuring said bolt in a slot formedin the supporting-bracket 22,whereby, when the sprocket-wheel on shaft 16 is replaced by one of adifferent diameter, instead of lengthening or shortening the chain byinserting or removing links, the pulley2l is shifted to accom modate andtighten the chain, after which it is secured in position.

Y Having thus described myinventiomwhatln SoV IOO

I'IO

tcrposed between and acting against the stops on the feed-bar,substantially as described.

8. In a drill attachment such as described, and in combination with thefeed-bar, a lever and a link or plate supported upon coincident axes,driving mechanism for reciprocating the link, and a catch or dogconnecting said lever Y and link, substantially as described.

4. In a drill attachment such as described, the combination, with theseeding devices, of the lever provided with the notched segmental end,the pivoted link, guides or ways connecting said link and lever topermit the one to vibrate independently of the other, and a dog or latchfor connecting said link and lever to cause them to vibrate in unison,substantially as described.

5. Ina drill attachment such as described, and in combination with thefeeding meehanism, a lever` for actuating the latter pivotally supportedupon a link concentric with the pivot of the latter, a clutch or catchfor connecting said link and lever, and devices acting upon the link toreciprocate thelatter, substantially as described.

6. Inadrillattaehmentsuch as described, the combination,withl thefeeding devices mounted on the runner frame, of a lever mounted upon themain frame and provided at one end with the tapering sides engaging thefeed-bar and at the opposite end with a notched segmental plate, thelink pivotally supported on an axis concentric with that of the lever,guides, and a catch or dog connecting the lever and link, and a camengaging the link to reciprocate the latter, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

7. In a drill attachment such as described, the combination, 'with theactuatingdever for l operating the feeding devices, of anindependently-reciprocatinglink connected to the lever by a detachabledog or catch, and a caln-disk operating between pins or rollers on saidlink, substantially as described.

S. In a drill attachment such as described, the combination, withtheaetuatinglever provided with the notched are-shaped plate, of thereciprocating link guided on said arc-shaped plate, and the pawl or dogpivoted upon said plate and provided with shoulders, said dog being heldby gravity in engagement with the notch in tbe lever and when Withdrawnand `turned back sustained in like manner upon the shoulders,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a drill attachment such as described, and as a means fordetachably connecting and centering the driving-gear upon the hub ot thewheel, the combination,with said drivinggear provided with the annulargrooved plate for application lo theinner end ofthe hub, of the outerplate correspondingly grooved and fitted to receive the outer end of thehub, and the clamping-bolts inserted between thespokes to clamp and holdthe plates upon the hub, substantially as described.

l0. In a drill attachment such as described, and in combination With thefeeding devices and-supportingwheel, a driving-gear detachably appliedto the hub, the camshaft, and sproeketwhecl, the tightening-wheel, andthe chain encircling the driving and tightening wheels and passing overthe intermediate sprocket-wheel, substantially as described'.

l1. In a drill attachment such as described, and in combination with thefeeding devices on the runner-frame, the actuating-lever and its driver,the link supported upon a single bracket and connected by a movable dogor catch, the cam supported upon a shaft carrying a sprocket-wheel, andthe chain engaging and drivingsaid sprocketm'beel,substantially asdescribed. 4

I2. In combination with the frame of a planter, the improved drillattachment constructed substantially as described, and comprising thefollowingparts detaehably secured to the frame, viz: the brac'ketforming a support for the lever and link, the bearings for thetightener-pullcy, and shaft-carrying cam and sprocket-wheel, and thedriving-gear applied to the wheel `hub, said parts being constructed andcombined for co-operation with the chain and feeding mechanisms,substantially as described.

13. In a drill attachment such as described, the combination, with theframe and the camshaft and its detachable sprocket-wheel, of the chainengaging said sprocket-wheel and a' driving-wheel, and thetightener-wheel mounted on an axis adjustable with relation to thesprocket-wheel to accommodate inten changeable sprocket-wheelsdiiferingin diameter, substantially as described.

14. In a drill attachment such as described,

the combinatiomwith the frame, ofthe b'racket supporting the cam-shaft,a sprocket-wheel detachably secured to said shaft, a drivinggear on thewheel, a chain passing around said lastnamed gear and engaging thesprocket- Wlieel, and the pulley 2l, supported upon a bolt, the latteradjustably secured in a slotiu a bracket attached to the frame,substantially as described.

LEVI SCOFIELD.

XVitn esses E. G. BELL, W. C. SHnLDoN, Jr.

